In the town where the author’s parents are from, one of the natural pieces of the environment is a river and the town is located on the mouth of the river. As an outsider looking in you would think the town would have a good marina to service the boats that come down the river, but for a variety of reasons, the town only built a marina for 20 boats. If you think about recreational boat traffic, boats can only go on the river, there are no alternatives, which means the boats coming by the river go right on by and stop at other towns and cities with marinas. This summer, the town is breaking ground or dredging to build the new marina which is 50 years in coming. When the town was formed industrial uses dominated the landscape because the rivers were the main highway to transport goods and services. As time moved by, the industrial uses were replaced by commercial ones or park land, because park land can be maintained at low costs. Over the past 10 years or so the local community groups have raised money to put in walkways, benches to enhance the parks which is good. The commercial uses decided that being on the water was a great thing and now have patios for people to sit and eat by the water. 15 years ago the government offered money to local communities to build up the marina but the local government did not want to spend any money, to keep taxes low and no deficit funding (understandable reasons) but every town and city around it enhanced their marinas on the senior level of government dollars. By the time, the town reacted the program was fully funded. It has taken 15 years, but in the spring time the town will finally capitalize on their location on the river.

Linking to dividend paying stocks, in this case the town has cautious for understandable reasons but it missed the increased recreational uses of boats and many dollars because of its stance. Sometimes dividend paying companies must take a risk to capitalize on future opportunities, when purchasing the stock ensure it has an idea of the future will retaining its profit making ventures.

There are more questions than answers, till the next time – to raising questions